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Former Bears CB Charles Tillman reportedly training to join FBI

Former Chicago Bears cornerback Charles “Peanut” Tillman, most famous for forcing fumbles by punching the ball out of receivers’ hands, is training to enter the FBI, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Tillman had a dream job for many people last year – a spot on Fox Sports’ “Fox NFL Kickoff” show – but he is apparently shifting focus to another dream job.

The FBI couldn’t comment to Biggs for the story.

Charles Tillman of the Chicago Bears accepts the award for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in 2014. (AP)

Biggs pointed out that Tillman is trying to enter the FBI just in time: FBI agents must be at least 23 years old and younger than 37 years old at the time of appointment, and Tillman will turn 37 next February.

Tillman earned a criminal justice degree at Louisiana-Lafayette, so his shift to law enforcement isn’t totally out of the blue. He’s presumably not doing it for the money, since his NFL contracts were worth more than $45 million, but because this is a career he really wants to pursue. Tillman was always known as one of the smartest players in the league (and one of the most charitable – he was once given the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year award) and it’s not surprising that he’s pursuing a high-profile career outside of football.

And if Tillman is as good in law enforcement as he was on the football field, the FBI will be getting a heck of an agent.